Hiccups

Hiccups (or hiccoughs) are caused by the sudden, involuntary spasm of the diaphragm muscle. As the diaphragm contracts, air is sucked in causing the epiglottis to close, which results in the typical "hic" sound.

Hiccups are harmless but can be somewhat annoying. They can occur in people of any age, even unborn babies. Most cases will be as short lived, lasting only a few minutes or hours. Some can last for days-known as persistent (protracted) hiccups, or months-known as intractable hiccups.

What causes hiccups?

The medical cause of hiccups still isn't understood, but it is believed to be caused by two nerves (phrenic and vagus nerves) being triggered by certain stimuli. Some believe it is a throwback to when our ancestors had gills. [1]

• Eating or drinking too quickly.
• Drinking carbonated beverages.
• Hot or spicy foods.
• Alcohol.
• Prolonged laughter.
• In rare cases, there may be an underlying medical issue causing you to hiccup.

Symptoms of hiccups:

• A sharp contraction of the diaphragm followed by air being inhaled resulting in a hic sound.

How to get rid of hiccups:

Almost all cases of hiccups are temporary & there are a number of home remedies to try. It is believed that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the blood can help relieve a case of the hiccups by decreasing sensitivity to the vagus nerve in the brain. Some of the remedies below reflect that.

Home remedies include;  

• Holding your breath for 10 seconds.
• Sipping on iced water.
• Drinking while upside down.
• Eating a teaspoon of sugar.
• Eating a teaspoon of peanut butter.
• Breathing into a brown paper bag.
• Drinking a teaspoon of vinegar.
• Sucking on a lemon.
• Gargling (preferably with icy cold water).
• Sitting down, with your head between the knees.
• Receiving a shock or fright. Not one I would personally recommend.

See your doctor if your hiccups don't go away within a few hours.

References:

[1] Why We Hiccup

Please note:

The medical articles on this site have not been written by a doctor & should not be considered a replacement for a doctor visit. The articles are provided for informative purposes only.

Always seek immediate medical advice for any problems.

While great care has been made in the creation of these articles, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages. If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical advice.